Confidential Nuclear Power Facility &ndash; Programming Study

A nuclear power facility in the Southeastern United States had a need for a new Plant Maintenance Complex to support current and future maintenance operations. The existing Office, Plant Maintenance, PMB Annex and Old West Portal buildings were older, wooden structures that were no longer adequate for the critical and essential functions that the Maintenance Department performed.

A nuclear power facility in the Southeastern United States had a need for a new Plant Maintenance Complex to support current and future maintenance operations. The existing Office, Plant Maintenance, PMB Annex and Old West Portal buildings were older, wooden structures that were no longer adequate for the critical and essential functions that the Maintenance Department performed.

Previously, the nuclear power facility had hired an architectural firm to develop the conceptual design that resulted in a large, expensive facility. They were concerned that the square footage programmed for the new facility was more than required, and engaged The Austin Company to provide a validation study of the design.

The nuclear power facility’s objectives with the conceptual design were to:

Build a new facility for its maintenance operations and associated functions

Free up valuable space in the existing Service Building

Determine the square footage required to meet the operational needs of the Maintenance Department

Account for new maintenance and operation personnel that are planned for the upcoming Fukushima upgrades

Austin was asked to review the conceptual space planning, calculate revised square footage, and provide an opinion of the required square footage for the facility based on findings and past experience designing maintenance facilities at other nuclear power plants.

Austin’s services for the Space Programming Study included:

Site visit for briefing, tour and extensive photography

Review of the previous Space Program and floor plans

Interviews with department heads

Validation and revision of space planning spreadsheets, Table of Organization and original department layout

Calculation of revised work areas to achieve industry standards

Development of a Block Diagram for all departments housed in three connected buildings, and an Alternate Block Diagram for all departments housed in one, three-story Plant Maintenance Complex

The Block Diagram illustrates where the complex should be located; how it interfaces with the Service Building, Turbine and Reactor Complex, and North and South Administration Buildings; and how many square feet are required for the total complex

Preparation and submission of final report with Austin recommendations for client consideration

The new complex will house hundreds of employees and include: a cafeteria and kitchen, fire department, security, emergency preparedness, senior plant management, and some relocated modification functions from the existing Service Building.

Based on the results of Austin’s Programming Validation Study, the client released Austin to complete a Step 1A Report for Conceptual Design Services.